Ferrari has identified a bump created by a drain at the edge of Parabolica as the trigger for Charles Leclerc’s race-ending crash at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix. The investigation has also delivered encouraging news ahead of Madrid: the Power Unit fitted to Leclerc’s SF-26 survived the 60G impact, meaning the Monegasque will not require a new engine and the associated risk of a grid penalty at the next race.
The conclusions give Ferrari some relief after a disastrous home Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth at Monza, while Leclerc’s race ended on lap two of 53 following his accident at the final corner. Earlier on the opening lap, the two Ferrari drivers had also become involved in a tense fight exiting the Rettifilo chicane.
Ferrari identifies Parabolica drain bump behind Charles Leclerc crash
Leclerc’s accident initially appeared to be a straightforward loss of control. He had gone slightly wide through Parabolica while defending from McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, whom the Ferrari driver had sensed moving to the inside under braking. The rear of the SF-26 then stepped out, and Leclerc was unable to catch the second snap before hitting the barriers.
Martin Brundle offered another interpretation of the incident, suggesting that a power spike from Ferrari’s engine contributed to Leclerc losing additional traction as the car crossed the drain at the edge of the circuit.
However, according to the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com, Ferrari’s subsequent investigation identified the bump created by that drain as the initial trigger for the snap that ultimately sent Leclerc into the barriers.
The accident has already been the subject of detailed analysis, including Ferrari’s assessment of the damage to Charles Leclerc’s SF-26 and Power Unit following the heavy Parabolica impact.
Charles Leclerc avoids new engine and potential Madrid grid penalty
The severity of the crash immediately raised another concern for Ferrari: whether Leclerc’s engine had also been damaged beyond further use. That would have created an additional complication heading into Formula 1’s first race at the new Madring circuit.
Ferrari is confident that the Power Unit survived the impact, meaning there is no requirement to install a fresh engine specifically because of the Monza accident. The team currently intends to replace only the transmission in Leclerc’s car for the Madrid weekend.
A damaged engine could have left the 28-year-old vulnerable to a grid penalty because Ferrari had introduced the final Power Unit from his seasonal allocation at Monza. That unit also incorporated the team’s second upgraded specification through its ADUO development programme.
The condition of the engine had therefore become particularly important immediately after the accident. Further details on the unit and Ferrari’s plans for Madrid can be found in the analysis of why Charles Leclerc’s recovered ADUO2 will not be used in Madrid.
Ferrari still plans to manage older Power Units later in 2026
Leclerc avoiding an immediate engine penalty does not mean Ferrari will use its newest specification at every remaining race. The team intends to return to an older Power Unit specification at Singapore later in the season, where it does not expect the Marina Bay street circuit to place excessive stress on an older engine.
Ferrari also plans to run older engines during free practice sessions as part of its wider mileage-management strategy. However, having only just introduced another Power Unit at Monza, the Scuderia would not have wanted to revert to an older unit for a race so soon afterwards because the newest engine had been damaged in an accident.
The latest developments therefore preserve greater flexibility within Leclerc’s engine pool. Ferrari can continue managing mileage across its available units rather than being forced into an immediate replacement as a direct consequence of the Italian Grand Prix crash.
For a broader look at the latest specification, Ferrari’s ADUO2 engine performance and energy deployment at Monza provides further context on what the upgrade delivered during its first race weekend.
Ferrari still concerned by straight-line speed despite upgraded Power Unit
The fact that Leclerc’s engine survived does not remove the wider performance questions exposed at Monza. Frédéric Vasseur and Lewis Hamilton both believe Ferrari’s straight-line speed remains an important weakness, even after the introduction of the upgraded Power Unit.
The latest specification is estimated to have provided only around five additional horsepower. That relatively modest gain is considered one factor behind Ferrari’s difficulties at its home Grand Prix, particularly on a circuit where top speed and energy deployment have a major influence on lap time and racing performance.
Hamilton was particularly struck by Mercedes’ speed on the straights during the Monza weekend, describing its performance in that area as exceptionally impressive. Ferrari therefore left its home race with more than the consequences of Leclerc’s accident to analyse.
The technical picture after Monza combined an upgraded Power Unit with a persistent straight-line deficit, making the SF-26’s efficiency one of the most important areas for the team to understand. More background on the concept is available in the breakdown of why Ferrari’s SF-26 Power Unit development extends beyond outright horsepower.
Ferrari turns focus to Madrid after difficult Italian Grand Prix
Formula 1 now heads to Madrid, returning to the Spanish capital for the first time since the 1981 Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama. Madring takes over as the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix after 35 years at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, presenting the teams with a completely new challenge.
Ferrari arrives needing a significant response after its disappointing Monza weekend. Hamilton’s sixth-place finish and Leclerc’s retirement left the Scuderia well short of the result it had wanted in front of the Tifosi, while the opening-lap confrontation between the two teammates created another layer of scrutiny.
Leclerc has at least avoided two additional consequences from the Parabolica accident. His engine remains usable and no replacement Power Unit is required because of the crash, while his physical checks following the impact have also given him the all-clear ahead of the Madrid weekend.
With the immediate technical fears eased, Ferrari can now concentrate on understanding a new circuit and addressing the performance weaknesses exposed at Monza rather than beginning the Spanish weekend with an enforced engine change and grid penalty.
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